220-1102 Question 323
Single answerKey fobsA company uses RFID key fobs to control access to its server room. An employee reports that their key fob no longer unlocks the door, but other employees can still enter using their own fobs. The employee says the fob worked yesterday and the physical door lock is functioning normally. Which action should the technician take FIRST?
- A
Verify in the access control system that the employee's key fob is still assigned and has not been disabled
- B
Replace the door's RFID reader because it is failing intermittently
- C
Reinstall the operating system on the access control server to restore authentication services
- D
Disable all other users' key fobs and re-enroll every device in the building
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to verify the user's key fob assignment and status in the access control system first. In physical security environments, key fobs are commonly managed as credentials tied to a user account, access group, or expiration policy. When one fob fails but others continue to function, the technician should start by checking whether the credential was disabled, expired, removed, or misassigned before considering hardware replacement. This aligns with standard troubleshooting methodology emphasized in CompTIA A+ Core 2: question the obvious, determine whether the issue is user-specific or system-wide, and begin with the least disruptive corrective action. In practice, vendor documentation for badge and access control systems also recommends validating credential status and permissions before replacing readers or making major system changes.
- A. Correct.
This is the correct first step. Since other employees' key fobs still work, the issue is likely isolated to this specific credential rather than the entire reader or access system. In a real environment, technicians should first confirm that the user's fob is still active, properly assigned, and not expired, revoked, or removed from the access control database. This follows basic troubleshooting best practice: identify whether the problem affects one user or many before replacing hardware or making disruptive changes.
- B. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because the scenario states that other employees can still use their key fobs successfully. That strongly suggests the RFID reader is operational. Replacing the reader first would be unnecessary and does not follow a logical least-invasive troubleshooting process.
- C. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because there is no evidence of a server-wide authentication issue. If the access control server or its authentication services were failing, multiple users would likely be affected. Reinstalling an operating system is also far too disruptive and excessive as an initial response.
- D. Incorrect.
This is incorrect because it is an extreme and unnecessary action for a problem affecting a single user's key fob. Re-enrolling all devices would create avoidable downtime and administrative overhead. This option reflects poor change-management practice and ignores the evidence that the overall system is still working.